10For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

-from 2 Thessalonians 3

So working for your money is a good thing and helps us build up self-worth as well a the reward of getting paid so that we can provide not only for ourselves, but also our family, our community, our church, …

Today’s reading continues speaking to how lives can be turned around from what was evil to good, from being a thief to being a productive member of society when it says:

28Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

–from Ephesians 4

So where are you at? Are you laboring so that you can get paid in order to share with others in need? Are you one of those special people who are able to make money and hire others to help them provide for their family and the needs of those of they can support? Is it a trickle down effect where the blessing is being multiplied by the fact that we realize everything is God’s and so we are just vessels or conduits of blessing to others? I remember posting a while back about the difference between being opened handed versus close fisted and how it closes the flow not only from the blessings going out from you, but also prevents any more to get into your hand. (WP changed how they do links so had to use search engines and google gave results on my keywords, but bing did not, so used the google link and you will find the resulting posts on the subject from the link above)

Today’s readings speaks to the importance of working for your wages as well as getting paid so that you can pass along the blessings to others in need! So let’s not be slackers! Let’s use our gifts and talents providby God to be able to provide not only for ourselves, but also for others in need that God will bring into our lives.

Today’s devotional shares some additional thoughts from J.B. Wood and some of what he went through in this very arena on this very subject…

Today’s reading is from blogger J.B. Wood, a business executive who writes about the challenges of integrating his professional life and his spiritual life. Here, he explores whether making money in business can be a way of serving God.

“The problem I encountered as a young Christian was that I often detected a quiet disapproval coming from the church when it came to having an interest in pursuing a “secular” career. I felt a gnawing sense that any desire to earn a solid income was somehow the antithesis of spirituality, associated instead with selfishness, materialism and worldliness.

Growing up, the…church taught me that the only ambition God was truly pleased with was the passion for making disciples, missions, or leading others to Christ. So if you had a sincere spiritual desire to seek out God’s plan for your life, then by default your primary vocation was going to be a disciple-maker. Just like Jesus (the missionary Jesus, not the working-for-the-family-business carpenter Jesus).

But what if I am not “called” to that? What if my gifts, talents and personality are better suited for business pursuits? I struggled with this for years as I developed a career in management consulting.

Thankfully, scripture makes it clear that God applauds (not just allows) working to earn.

The Bible teaches about using money:

To meet your own personal need for support.

To care for the needs of your family.

To have enough to share with those in need and help meet the needs of the world.

Greed can be dangerous, but as High Calling blogger Larry Peabody has put it, ‘So can hammers, horses, and hot plates. Any of them can be properly used—or misused. The Bible warns us that wanting to get rich sets us up for a tumble into a snare. And it calls loving money “the root of all kinds of evil.” But with sound teaching and right hearts, believers can live by faith even as they earn their incomes and use the money in God-approved ways.’”

So let’s be good steward of everything God has given us! Be it our gifts and talents and calling! Be it the finances to be able to provide and be a blessing! Allow yourself to be open handed so that you can be a conduit of God’s blessing today!

Forgiveness

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. --from Matthew 6

Advertisements

Annual Reports

Interested in what was posted prior to WordPress? You can find them here:
http://x.co/2005ToEter when I started blogging back in 2005, prior to the move from WL Spaces to WP. (download to be able to view the page rather than the source behind it)

Keys to Growth

FEAR NOT, JUST BELIEVE
Disciple them in the ways of the LORD.
- Embrace others where they are.
- Outreach to others as they are.
- Meditate on the Word of God daily.

Memory Verse: Proverbs 16:6
By mercy and love, truth and fidelity [to God and man--not by sacrificial offerings], iniquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil.

The Roman Road

I. Romans 3:10
As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.

II. Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

III. Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

IV. Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

V. Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.

VI. Romans 10:9-11
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

VII. Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

-----------------------------------------------
Do you want to talk about this? Would you like to pray with someone? Leave me a comment or send me a message as I would be happy to do that for you.